Mass Readings for March 18, 2023

Hosea 6:1-6
Psalms 51:3-4, 18-21
Luke 18:9-14

Hosea 6:1-6
1″come, let us return to the lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. 2 after two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 let us know, let us press on to know the lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 what shall i do with you, o e’phraim? What shall i do with you, o judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. 5 therefore i have hewn them by the prophets, i have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. 6 for i desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of god, rather than burnt offerings.

Psalms 51:3-4, 18-21
1 have mercy on me, o god, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 16 for thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were i to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. 17 the sacrifice acceptable to god is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, o god, thou wilt not despise. 18 do good to zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of jerusalem, 19 then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy altar.

Luke 18:9-14
9 he also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: 10″two men went up into the temple to pray, one a pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 the pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `god, i thank thee that i am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 i fast twice a week, i give tithes of all that i get.’ 13 but the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `god, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 i tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”